Alexander Isak exploring Newcastle United exit - Report

Newcastle United look to have been dealt a hammer blow in our hopes to keep Alexander Isak at the club this summer.

It was revealed earlier on Thursday morning that Isak had not travelled with the squad to Singapore as part our pre-season tour of Asia.

Having not played at all during pre-season, many had hoped Isak's continued absence was just a necessary precaution to allow him to recover from a thigh injury.

But unfortunately, this doesn't look to be the case, as a new report from the local media hints that the player's had has indeed been turned...

Isak tells Newcastle he wants to explore his options

According to The Mail's Craig Hope, Isak has reportedly told the club that he wants to explore options away from the club.

The club’s hierarchy is reportedly aware of the striker’s ambitions, despite him currently having three years on his current contract.

Hope adds “For now, though, Isak and his camp do not want to commit, with Liverpool interested in making the Swede a British record signing.”

The news does imply that contract extension talks with Isak have either stalled or not even started, which had hoped to push Isak to be one of (if not THE) club’s highest earners.

Who could Newcastle sign if the worst happens?

As little as Eddie Howe and the club higher-ups want to think about it, it’s now time to knuckle down and find the club’s next starting striker.

There’s so far been no concrete second bid for Brentford’s Yoane Wissa, with the Bees looking to get around £40m for the Congolese star, well above our initial £25m bid.

Benjamin Sesko is a name that’s been tentatively linked this window, and with RB Leipzig not having any European football next season, we’re perhaps a very easy sell and appealing option to the young striker.